Microstructural Evolutions and Mechanical Properties of Energetic Al1 (TiZrNbTaMoCr)15 High-Entropy Alloys

doi:10.1007/s40195-023-01638-0

Abstract

Abstract:

The present study focuses on investigating the microstructural evolutions and mechanical properties of energetic Al₁(TiZrNbTaMoCr)₁₅ refractory high-entropy alloys with the different heat treatments at low Al content state. It is found that even with a reduction in the Al content, the strength of these alloys remains unaffected at room temperature and high temperature, while the plasticity improves significantly. In particular, the coherent BCC/B2 microstructure with needle-like B2 nanoprecipitates dispersed into the BCC matrix is formed in 873 K-aged Al₁Ti₆Zr₂Nb₃Ta₃Mo_0.5Cr_0.5 alloy. Therefore, this alloy exhibits the highest compression yield strength (σ_YS = 1333 and 717 MPa) at room temperature and 1073 K, respectively. After 973 K-aged, the coherent BCC/B2 microstructure underwent destabilization, and the B2 phase transforms into the brittle Zr₅Al₃ phase which then coarsens and dominates the microstructure of S3-AlTa₃ alloy after 1073 K-aged. Moreover, these current alloys exhibit exceptionally high theoretical exothermic enthalpy (ΔH), surpassing 11606 J·g⁻¹, which highlights their significant potential as innovative high-performance energetic structural materials.

Key words: Refractory high-entropy alloy, Coherent microstructure, Mechanical property, Exothermic enthalpy

Xuan-Hong Cai, Zhen-Hua Wang, Ben Niu, Jin-Feng Li, Qing Wang, Show authors. Microstructural Evolutions and Mechanical Properties of Energetic Al₁ (TiZrNbTaMoCr)₁₅ High-Entropy Alloys[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2024, 37(4): 620-632.

Figures/Tables 12

Table 1 Related date of the designed series of alloys, including cluster formula, composition (at.%), density (ρ), and theoretical exothermic enthalpy (ΔH)

No.	Cluster formula (composition in at.%)	ρ (g·cm^-3)	ΔH (J·g^-1)
S1-AlTi₇	Al₁[Ti₇Zr₂Nb₃Ta₂Mo_0.5Cr_0.5] (Al_6.25Ti_43.75Zr_12.5Nb_18.75Ta_12.5Mo_3.125Cr_3.125)	7.2	12743
S2-AlNb₄	Al₁[Ti₆Zr₂Nb₄Ta₂Mo_0.5Cr_0.5] (Al_6.25Ti_37.5Zr_12.5Nb₂₅Ta_12.5Mo_3.125Cr_3.125)	7.4	12313
S3-AlTa₃	Al₁[Ti₆Zr₂Nb₃Ta₃Mo_0.5Cr_0.5] (Al_6.25Ti_37.5Zr_12.5Nb_18.75Ta_18.75Mo_3.125Cr_3.125)	7.9	11606
S4-AlMo	Al₁[Ti_6.5Zr₂Nb₃Ta₃Mo_0.5] (Al_6.25Ti_40.63Zr_12.5Nb_18.75Ta_18.75Mo_3.125)	7.8	11782
Ref-Al₂	Al₂[Ti₆Zr₂Nb₃Ta₂Mo_0.5Cr_0.5] (Al_12.5Ti_37.5Zr_12.5Nb_18.75Ta_12.5Mo_3.125Cr_3.125)	7.0	12809

Fig. 1 XRD patterns of designed alloys after different heat treatment states

Fig. 2 OM images of designed alloys at solid-solutioned states: a S1-AlTi7, b S2-AlNb4, c S3-AlTa3, d S4-AlMo

Fig. 3 EPMA backscattered electron images of designed alloys after 873 K-aged, 973 K-aged, and 1073 K-aged states: a-c S1-AlTi7, d-f S2-AlNb4, g-i S3-AlTa3

Table 2 Phase evolution of the designed S1-AlTi7, S2-AlNb4, and S3-AlTa3 alloys with heat treatment

No.	Heat treatment
No.	Solid-solutioned	873 K-aged	973 K-aged	1073 K-aged
S1-AlTi₇	BCC_matrix	BCC_matrix + BCC1	BCC_matrix + BCC1	BCC_matrix + BCC1
S2-AlNb₄	BCC_matrix	BCC_matrix + BCC1	BCC_matrix + BCC1 + Zr₅Al₃ + Laves	BCC_matrix + BCC1 + Zr₅Al₃
S3-AlTa₃	BCC_matrix	BCC_matrix + BCC1 + B2	BCC_matrix + BCC1 + Zr₅Al₃ + Laves	BCC_matrix + BCC1 + Zr₅Al₃

Fig. 4 a, a-1 S1-AlTi7 alloy after 873 K-aged, b, b-1 black rod phase of S1-AlTi7 alloy after 873 K-aged, c, c-1 S2-AlNb4 alloy after 873 K-aged, d-f S3-AlTa3 alloy after 873 K-aged

Fig. 5 Elemental distributions of black rod phase in S1-AlTi7 alloy after 1073 K-aged by EPMA

Fig. 6 Elemental distributions in S2-AlNb4 alloy after 973 K-aged by EPMA

Fig. 7 HAADF-STEM image and the corresponding elemental maps and lines of S3-AlTa3 alloy after 873 K-aged by EDS

Fig. 8 a-c Room temperature true compressive stress-strain curves of designed alloys after different treatments, d true compressive stress-strain curves of designed alloys after 873 K-aged at 873 K, 973 K, and 1073 K

Fig. 9 Equilibrium phase diagrams of the designed alloys calculated by Pandat software: a S1-AlTi7, b S2-AlNb4, c S3-AlTa3

Fig. 10 a Room and high temperature yield strength of S3-AlTa3 alloy and previous designed alloys after 873 K-aged, which the specific values are listed, b compression plasticity at room temperature after 873 K-aged

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Microstructural Evolutions and Mechanical Properties of Energetic Al₁ (TiZrNbTaMoCr)₁₅ High-Entropy Alloys

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